Start Ford Focus toad daily?

roadcouple · 06-06-2019, 05:32 PM

Taking off soon on our first trip towing a 2018 Ford Focus with our 2016 Vegas. As per the owners manual the negative battery cable needs to be disconnected (I plan to use a disconnect switch) before it is towed, and further states to start the car within 15 minutes of reconnecting the battery.
My question is that if we stop just for the night with no plans to use the car would I need to start it and let it run awhile anyway?

Thanks,

Steve

cpmath · 06-06-2019, 05:52 PM

Yes you need to start it and I have a question for you, Is your Focus a manual transmission? If it's automatic are you sure you can tow it 4-down? We towed a Focus but it was standard and Ford told us an automatic could not be towed.

roadcouple · 06-06-2019, 06:04 PM

According to the owners manual it is. We got conflicting reports from Ford techs, both yes and no, but are going with what the manual suggests.

**16ACE27** · 06-06-2019, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadcouple

Taking off soon on our first trip towing a 2018 Ford Focus with our 2016 Vegas. As per the owners manual the negative battery cable needs to be disconnected (I plan to use a disconnect switch) before it is towed, and further states to start the car within 15 minutes of reconnecting the battery.
My question is that if we stop just for the night with no plans to use the car would I need to start it and let it run awhile anyway?

Thanks,

Steve

No, there is no limit to how far you can flat tow the car so there would be no reason to start the car after an overnight stop. I assume you have the 2.0 liter Focus? Cuz you can't flat tow the 1.0 liter with "EcoBoost".

Always follow the owner's manual instructions unless you have written documentation otherwise from For's engineering department.

roadcouple · 06-06-2019, 09:59 PM

Yep, 2L Focus. We checked Motorhome Magazine Toad Guide and owners manuals before any test drives.

**EA37TS** · 06-06-2019, 10:09 PM

My daughter has a Focus and I know there are issues with transmission shift points for a while (about 15 - 30 minutes) after the battery is disconnected and then reconnected.

Also, the 2018 FMCA Towing guide says the 2018 Focus ST cannot be flat towed.

roadcouple · 06-06-2019, 10:22 PM

Dave,
I have read about the issues your daughter has seen, like most vehicles today the engine is heavily computerized and it takes awhile for things to get "synced" again after low voltage is interrupted.

Has she had any other issues towing her Focus?

Ours is not the ST model, we are geezers and got the Titanium.

**EA37TS** · 06-07-2019, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadcouple

Dave,
I have read about the issues your daughter has seen, like most vehicles today the engine is heavily computerized and it takes awhile for things to get "synced" again after low voltage is interrupted.

Has she had any other issues towing her Focus?

Ours is not the ST model, we are geezers and got the Titanium.

A couple of times her car wouldn't even shift into gear for a few minutes after the battery was reconnected and the engine run. The first time this happened the car was towed back to the dealer where she and hubby received a lesson on the focus transmission's un-published features (

). If not for AAA it would have been an expensive lesson.

Pete'sMH · 06-07-2019, 02:57 PM

No need to disconnect the battery if you have a manual transmission Focus. Don’t need to unlock the steering wheel either as it doesn’t lock in the first place. Just put in neutral and release the parking brake and you’re good to go. It took me a while to find a nice manual Focus but I finally did and I like it a lot. My 2014 owners manual says both transmissions can be flat towed.

Ron1Z · 06-07-2019, 03:53 PM

We have a 2017 Focus Titanium and dolly tow with no issues. Last year we did the flat tow with a 2018 Fiesta and that didnt go very well for us.

Pete'sMH · 06-07-2019, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron1Z

We have a 2017 Focus Titanium and dolly tow with no issues. Last year we did the flat tow with a 2018 Fiesta and that didnt go very well for us.

Just curious, what went wrong with the Fiesta?

TurnerFam · 06-07-2019, 11:29 PM

year models can vary when it comes to towing, but our '14 Fiesta or '14 Focus neither require any type of 'cranking' just because they are being towed... but check the owner's manual - if it doesn't require it, then it's not an issue....

Ron1Z · 06-08-2019, 01:39 AM

Not sure how or why but after 8 miles of towing 4 down the Fiesta went into gear at 60 MPH. blew the transmision and the engine, car only had 630 miles on it.

Pete'sMH · 06-08-2019, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron1Z

Not sure how or why but after 8 miles of towing 4 down the Fiesta went into gear at 60 MPH. blew the transmision and the engine, car only had 630 miles on it.

Yikes! Now I’ll probably worry...

10scDust · 06-08-2019, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron1Z

We have a 2017 Focus Titanium and dolly tow with no issues. Last year we did the flat tow with a 2018 Fiesta and that didnt go very well for us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron1Z

Not sure how or why but after 8 miles of towing 4 down the Fiesta went into gear at 60 MPH. blew the transmision and the engine, car only had 630 miles on it.

The Fiesta, was that an automatic transmission?
How did Ford handle that warranty situation?

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